UPDATE: Readers remind us that folks purchasing the "God of War Collection" will also have access to the demo. But the whole Japan-only aspect of this release is still pretty strange.

ORIGINAL STORY: PlayStation 3 owners may relish Sony's exclusivity regarding "God of War 3," but Japan seems to have an exclusive of its own for the game -- namely a downloadable demo from the PlayStation Store. That means North American games may be out in the cold until the full game comes out in March 2010 -- unless Sony has further plans for the Western Hemispshere.

The "God of War 3" demo will be available via a code packaged with "inFAMOUS" in Japan, according to Siliconera. Players with Japanese PSN accounts will reportedly be able to download those codes from November 19 through February 2010.

Obviously none of this rules out future demo release for U.S. gamers, but it is unusual to see a U.S.-developed game get its premier in Japan. "inFAMOUS" launched in Japan this week, so the move is targeted toward boosting its sales. In other words, Japan ultimately got "inFAMOUS" after everyone else in exchange for a first crack at "God of War 3." That's not a bad trade-off.

The March release for the full version of "God of War 3" is still a good four months' wait, though, so hopefully Sony will be able to slide a demo over to this side of the Pacific in the meantime.

Are you disappointed to hear that the "God of War 3" has only been announced for a Japanese release? Do you want to see it made available in the U.S. as well before the game launches next year? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.